Retention device

ABSTRACT

A retainer featuring a spring clip which in an unlatched condition has an elongate, modified &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;U&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; shape. At its open end the legs of the clip are spring formed to be biased from one another. Intermediate their ends the legs have mating bowed portions adapted to closely embrace a body portion of a stud or other shaft-like element while their projected extremities may be brought together and releasably latched under tension. In its latched condition the clip is fixed in a plane transverse to the stud or other shaft-like article to which it mounts to serve as a holding medium for elements mounted between it and means defining a reference plane through which the stud or shaft projects.

Unite States atent [191 Muncy RETENTION DEVICE [75] Inventor: Randall E.Muncy, Springfield,

Ohio

[73] Assignee: Muncy Corporation, Enon, Ohio 22 Filed: July 29,1970

21 Appl. No.: 59,203

[52] 11.8. C1. 287/101, 24/261 R [51] Int. Cl. F16c 11/00 [58] Field ofSearch 85/8.8 R, l K;

287/DIG. 7, 100, 101; 24/261 R, 261 F, 261 CT, 261 RC, 159,161 R; 132/48A, 50 R [56] 1 References-Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,663,854 3/1928Nief 132/48 A 1,852,931 4/1932 Klavon 132/48 A 1,614,809 1/1927Sylvester 132/48 A 1,659,094 2/192'8 Godfrey s5/s.s ux 424,016 3/1890Morgan -24/261 CT 3,132,396 5/1964 Berman 24/261 RC 2,082,315 6/1937Williams 85/8.8 X 2,137,035 11/1938 Swallow 85/8.8 UX 3,259,346 7/1966 7Rogers"; 85/8.8 X

[ June 26, 1973 2,586,940 2/1952 Graham 24/261 UX FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 3,014 1856 Great Britain 132/50 R Primary ExaminerAndrew V.Kundrat Attorney-Jerome P. Bloom [57] ABSTRACT A retainer featuring aspring clip which in an unlatched condition has an elongate, modified Ushape. At its open end the legs of the clip are spring formed to bebiased from one another. Intermediate their ends the legs have matingbowed portions adapted to closely embrace a body portion of a stud orother shaft-like eler'nent while their projected extremities may bebrought together and releasably latched under tension. In its latchedcondition the clip is fixed in a plane transverse to the stud or othershaft-like article to which it mounts to serve as a holding medium forelements mounted between it and means defining a reference plane throughwhich the stud or shaft projects.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 RETENTION DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to retention and fastening devices, andmore particularly to an improved retainer or holding device which may beapplied to and used in combination with a stud or other device ofshaft-like configuration to hold parts positioned on the stud or shaftto a reference surface. Though notso limited in use, it will be sodescribed by way of illustration.

Various shaft or stud mounted retention devices have been known in theprior art. These include pins, snap rings, clamps, etc. While suited foruse in many applications, most of the prior art devices have proven tohave inherent disadvantages, particularly where they are subjected toconditions of vibration and/or intermittent or excessive thrust. Thosewhich have more dependability in use are either relatively expensive tofabricate or complex as to their application and removal. Moreimportantly, the devices of the prior art of the character abovedescribed do not readily lend themselves to positive function andmanipulation. In contrast, the invention devices are not only economicalto fabricate and easy to apply but they may be readily and positivelymanipulated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention feature asimple but unique fastener and retention device in the form of aone-piece spring clip made, preferably, of

wardly bowed portions adapted to embrace a portion of a shaft-like bodywhile their projected ends are normally biased to separate. Theprojected ends of the legs have integrally formed latch portions whichmay be releasably interengaged to place the legs'under tension and tofix the clip in a plane transversely of and in a projected relation tothe shaft-like body to which it mounts. 80 fixed, the clip mayreleasably contain shaft mounted elements to a reference surface.

In a preferred embodiment, the shaft-like body portion is peripherallygrooved to precisely nestthe otwardly bowed portions of the clip legs,thereby to positively inhibit displacement of the clip in a senseaxially of the element to which it mounts.

It will be seen that in application of the clip, particularly incooperation with a stud or like member such as described, there isproduced a retention assembly which is more positive in function andmore resistant to deterioration under the influence of vibration andthrust than would be the case where a snap ring, for example, or similarelement, is used. 1

It is'therefore a primary object of the invention to provide an improvedretention device for holding shaft or stud mounted elements to areference surface which is economical to fabricate, more efficient andsatisfactory in use,.and adaptable to a wide variety of applications. a

Another object of the invention is to provide a positive actingretention element for use on a stud or other shaft-like element whichis'highly resistant to displacementor failure under the influence ofsubstantial thrust and/or vibration.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a retention deviceof spring wire which is particularly designed to facilitate the positiveengagement thereof in a position transverse to a shaft-like body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cliptype retainer formedof rectangular wire stock characterized by means enabling its fast andeasy installation and removal.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a clip retainerpositive in its action and having a mount strongly resistingdisplacement.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a clip retainer, inan assembly for holding elements to a reference surface, utilizing alatch principle to apply thereto a locking stress lending security inits use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a retention assemblycomprising the combination of a shaft-like body having therein acircumferential groove and a specially formed spring clip adapted to belatched in an embracing relation to the groovedportion of the bodywhereby to project laterally, fixed in a plane transverse to said body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a retention devicepossessing the advantageous structural features, the inherentmeritorious characteristics and the means and mode of use hereindescribed.

With the above and other incidental objects in view, as will more fullyappear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected byLetters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts andcombinations thereof, and the mode of operation as hereinafter describedor illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the drawings, wherein is shown one but not necessarily theonly form of embodiment of the invention,

FIG; I is a fragmentary top view of an assembly showing clip retainermeans in accordance with the invention in use;

' FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the irregularlyformed line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the clip retainer; and

FIG. '4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe several views. I

The assembly of the drawings shows a plate 10 defining a referencesurface 12 through which is projected a reduced end portion 14 of a stud16. A shoulder 18 formed on the body of the stud 16 by the reduction ofthe end potion-14 is clamped in a fixed abutting relation to thereference surface 12 by an upset of the projected extremity 20 of theend portion 14 to engage the far side 22 of the plate 10. As seen inFIG. 2, the shaftlike body of the stud 16 is so fixed to projectperpendicular to the reference surface 12.

The stud 16 has a generally cylindrical, stepped configuration. Beyondthe surface 12 and the shoulder 18, there is defined on the stud anaxially extended body portion 24 of uniform diameter. The body portion24 terminates at a radially projected annular shoulder 26 defining oneend of a relatively expanded stud portion 28. At its end remote from thesurface 12, the stud has fonned thereon a head 30 which is shallow indepth, in an axial sense, and'has a diameter slightly smaller than thatof the stud portion 28. The head 30 is separated from the portion 28 bya short length stud body portion 32. The latter has a diameter less thanthat of the head 30 but slightly greater than that of the body portion24.

The configuration of the stud so defined creates, immediately adjacentthe head 30, a circumferential recess 34.

The axial limits of recess 34 are defined by the annular shoulders 36and 38 which define the adjacent limits of the head 30 and the expandedbody portion 28. Accordingly, since shoulders 36 and 38 lie in planesperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stud 16, the recess 34 hasa rectangular cross-section, the benefits of which will soon becomeobvious.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, locked to the shaft-like body of stud 16, inthe recess 34, and projecting transversely thereof in a senseperpendicular thereto, is a unique clip retainer 40.

The clip 40 is formed of a length of spring wire stock which is squarein cross-section. Its cross-sectional dimension is such that it canfirmly nest in the recess 34 of stud 16 without appreciable play. As isself-evident from FIG. 3 of the drawings, in forming the clip the lengthof wire stock is bent on itself to provide it with an elongate, modifiedU-shape including an arcuate closed end or base portion 42 and elongate,slightly divergent, leg portions 43 and 44. Intermediate their ends andmore closely adjacent the base portion 42, the leg portions have formedtherein opposite, identical, outwardly bowed sections 46. The latter areformed on a generally uniform radius complementary to that on which thestud body portion 32 has been formed. The one leg portion 43 has itsprojected end portion 48 bent at right angles thereto, inwardly of theclip, in the general plane thereof and towards the leg portion 44. Asseen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the projected extremity 50 of the leg portion 48is bent upwardly and back to create a hook which opens away from the legportion 44. The projected extremity S2 of the latter is not bent in thedirection of leg portion 43 but rather offset upwardly of the generalplane'of the clip to lie in a plane within the area of the hook 50.Thus, leg portion 43 ends up shorter than leg portion 44 and, as will beseen, their projected extremities provide latch means which are adaptedto interengage and place the clip under tensron.

Referring to FIG. 2, the clip 40 is there shown in use to retain anassembly of elements on the body of stud l6 and in a predeterminedrelation to the reference surface 12 of plate 10. Included on the stud,in fragmentary form, are portions of elements which may, for example,represent segments of components used in a control assembly for anautomobile window. For purposes of illustrating the present invention,however, one need only consider their relation to the stud l6 andbetween the clip 40 and plate 10. Thus, one may observe about the studportion 24 a coiled compression spring 54 seated at one end to the plateand having its other end in biasing engagement to an annular washer 56.The latter is urged to seat its inner periphery to stud shoulder 26while its outer periphery, projected in a semi-circular contour, bearsagainst one end face of a sandwich assembly of plates 58 and 60 and anannular flat washer 62. The latter abuts and is contained by therclip40. It is noted the elements 58, 60 and 62 have projected therethroughand commonly bear on the stud body portion 28.

The clip 40 is shown in FIG. 3 in its unlatched position. To apply it tothestud 16, its legs 43 and 44 may be slightly spread, against the biasthereon, to encompass the stud body portion 32 with their outwardlybowed portions 46. Due to the fact the clip is formed of wire stockcomplementary in shape to the crosssection of recess 34 and the bowedportions 46 are uniformly arcuate, on release of the clip legs the bowedportions may firmly and frictionally nest in the recess 34 and on thestud body portion 32. The projected extremities 48 and 52 of the clipleg portions may then be brought together and the portion 52 slid overand into the hook 50. As this is done, the clip legs are placed under alatching tension to dispose firmly at right angles to stud l6 andinhibited, positively, from axial displacement -on the stud. Thisestablishes the elements 54, 56, 58, 60 and 62 in their requiredposition and under the necessary degree of bias which their applicationdictates.

Since the invention clip is easily and positively manipulated andapplied, particularly in the form and combination or assemblyillustrated, it is substantially guaranteed that once applied it willresist fully distortion or displacement under the influence of vibrationand thrust. The tension under which the clip is placed in latchingcontributes greatly to its efficiency and effectiveness.

Of course, it will be readily apparent that the invention clip can havea multitude of applications and that it will function equally well in acombination with any shaft-like object to which it can mount. Forexample, a groove such as the groove 34 could be cut in any portion of asimple shaft or any shaft-like body wherein a retainer may be desiredand the clip 40 applied as described to hold an element or stack ofelements to a reference surface in the precisely desired fashion. Ofcourse the use of a clip of square cut cross-section in conjunction witha complementary cut groove is optimal.

Thus, the invention provides a simple, economical, easily manipulatedbut positive solution to the problems of the pertinent prior art.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but whichobviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions,detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificfeatures shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effectand the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms ormodifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an assembly wherein a stud shaft or the like receives parts overan end thereof in telescoping relation, a peripheral surface of saidshaft adjacent said one end having groove means formed therein, apositively acting retainer clip having a hair pin-like configurationpresenting legs which intermediate their ends are adapted to fit overthe shaft and are received in said groove means and which at their freeextremities are adapted to be brought together and to interlock with oneanother to enforce an interfitting relation of said legs intermediatetheir ends with said groove means,

intermediate portions of said legs having a configuration complementaryto the cross sectional shape of the shaft and engaging in said groovemeans to inhibit relative longitudinal movement of the clip transverselyof the shaft axis in an interlocked position of said extremities, theclip having a cross sectional configuration substantially correspondingto that of said groove means and substantially filling said groovemeans, said retainer clip being made of spring material substantiallyuniform in cross section throughout its length, one of said legs beingprojected relatively to the other, the shorter leg having a portion bentout of the plane thereof toward which the longer leg may be deflectedand interengaged with for a latch-like connection, the naturalresilience of the legs being utilized yieldingly to maintain suchconnection, the bent out portion of the shorter leg being turned inplural senses to define a hook offset toward said longer leg and thelonger leg having a portion offset for more facile engagement with andrelease from said hook.

2. A retainer clip according to claim 1, wherein said clip is made ofspring material uniform in cross section throughout its length, said legextremities being spaced apart and yieldingly resisting movement in anapproaching sense.

3. A retainer clip according to claim 2, wherein said spring materialissquare in cross section,the groove means receiving the clip being ofconforming configuration.

4. A retainer clip for use in conjunction with a stud presenting ashaft-like body including at least one circumferential groove, saidclipcomprising a spring ele- 'ment bent in a U-shape to have elongateslightly divergent leg portions extending from an arcuate closed end,

said leg portions being in a common transverse plane bowed incomplementary fashion intermediate their ends to engage with and formabout said body within said groove and having offset free extremitiesformed to interengage and resiliently lock together, one of said legshaving its projected extremity including an end portion bent towards theother and offset to form a hook opening away from the other leg and theother of said legs having its extremity including an end portion offsetout of said common plane but continued in substantially the samedirection as its preceding portion, said leg portions having a crosssection at their bowed portions substantially conforming to that of thesaid circumferential groove in said shaft-like body.

5. A retainer clip comprising a spring element bent in a U-shape to haveelongate slightly divergent leg portions extending from an arcuateclosed end of the clip, said leg portions being in a common transverseplane bowed in complementary fashion intermediate their ends to engageabout a shaft-like portion of a body, an

outer open end of the clip presenting extremities of said leg portionsadapted to be moved together in a relative approaching sense to placethe clip under tension, said extremities being differentially formed todefine interengageable latching elements which when interengagedmaintain a tensioned or closed condition of the clip, one of saidextremities being bent into a hook-like configuration and the otherbeing bent to lie in a plane offset from but substantially parallel tosaid common plane and being manipulative into and out of interengagementwith said extremity of hook-like configuration.

6. A retainer clip according to claim 5, wherein said one extremity inbeing bent into a hook-like configuration is turned toward the otherextremity substantially in said common plane and is then deformed out ofsaid common plane in a substantially intersecting relation to the offsetplane of said other extremity.

7. A'retainer clip according to claim 6, wherein said other extremityincludes an offset portion located opposite said hook-like configurationof the said one extremity and in relative projecting relation thereto.

1. In an assembly wherein a stud shaft or the like receives parts overan end thereof in telescoping relation, a peripheral surface of saidshaft adjacent said one end having groove means formed therein, apositively acting retainer clip having a hair pin-like configurationpresenting legs which intermediate their ends are adapted to fit overthe shaft and are received in said groove means and which at their freeextremities are adapted to be brought together and to interlock with oneanother to enforce an interfitting relation of said legs intermediatetheir ends with said groove means, intermediate portions of said legshaving a configuration complementary to the cross sectional shape of theshaft and engaging in said groove means to inhibit relative longitudinalmovement of the clip transversely of the shaft axis in an interlockedposition of said extremities, the clip having a cross sectionalconfiguration substantially corresponding to that of said groove meansand substantially filling said groove means, said retainer clip beingmade of spring material substantially uniform in cross sectionthroughout its length, one of said legs being projected relatively tothe other, the shorter leg having a portion bent out of the planethereof toward which the longer leg may be deflected and interengagedwith for a latch-like connection, the natural resilience of the legsbeing utilized yieldingly to maintain such connection, the bent outportion of the shorter leg being turned in plural senses to define ahook offset toward said longer leg and the longer leg having a portionoffset for more facile engagement with and release from said hook.
 2. Aretainer clip according to claim 1, wherein said clip is made of springmaterial uniform in cross section throughout its length, said legextremities being spaced apart and yieldingly resisting movement in anapproaching sense.
 3. A retainer clip according to claim 2, wherein saidspring material is square in cross section, the groove means receivingthe clip being of conforming configuration.
 4. A retainer clip for usein conjunction with a stud presenting a shaft-like body including atleast one circumferential groove, said clip comprising a spring elementbent in a U-shape to have elongate slightly divergent leg portionsextending from an arcuate closed end, said leg portions being in acommon transverse plane bowed in complementary fashion intermediatetheir ends to engage with and form about said body within said grooveand having offset free extremities formed to interengage and resilientlylock together, one of said legs having its projected extremity includingan end portion bent towards the other and offset to form a hook openingaway from the other leg and the other of said legs having its extremityincluding an end portion offset out of said common plane but continuedin substantially the same direction as its preceding portion, said legportions having a cross section at their bowed portions substantiallyconforming to that of the said circumferential groove in said shaft-likebody.
 5. A retainer clip comprising a spring element bent in a U-shapeto have elongate slightly divergent leg portions extending from anarcuate closed end of the clip, said leg portions being in a commontransverse plane bowed in complementary fashion intermediate their endsto engage about a shaft-like portion of a body, an outer open end of theclip presenting extremities of said leg portions adapted to be movedtogether in a relative approaching sense to place the clip undertension, said extremities being differentially formed to defineinterengageable latching elements which when interengaged maintain atensioned or closed condition of the clip, one of said extremities beingbent into a hook-like configuration and the other being bent to lie in aplane offset from but substantially parallel to said common plane andbeing manipulative into and out of interengagement with said extremityof hook-like configuration.
 6. A retainer clip according to claim 5,wherein said one extremity in being bent into a hook-like configurationis turned toward the other extremity substantially in said common planeand is then deformed out of said common plane in a substantiallyintersecting relation to the offset plane of said other extremity.
 7. Aretainer clip according to claim 6, wherein said other extremityincludes an offset portion located opposite said hook-like configurationof the said one extremity and in relative projecting relation thereto.